Good Growing

On this episode of the Good Growing podcast your host Chris, Katie, and Ken chat about what going on in their yards and gardens plus answers to listener questions. What to do with swarming honeybees Remedies for soils with excessively high phosphorous levels Dealing with carpenter bees nesting in decks and wood siding Can you grow industrial hemp in your garden? Dealing with weeds growing between...

In this episode of the Good Growing podcast we chat with University of Illinois pesticide safety and weed specialist, Michelle Wiesbrook. During our conversation we dive into the following topics: Options for Illinois residents seeking pesticide applicator licenses Controlling weeds in a driveway What can we do about knotweed and black medic What herbicides can you spray when establishing a prairi...

This week Martha Smith joins the Good Growing team to talk all about landscape design. Martha is a horticulture educator with University of Illinois Extension and has previous experience as a landscape designer. During this episode the group talks about: What's blooming in their yards What does Martha recommend for new gardeners as they start designing their yard Where can homeowner look to get in...

In this week's episode of the Good Growing podcast, horticulture Andrew Holsinger joins the gang to talk all about tomatoes. Tomato topics discussed: Physiological leaf roll vs. herbicide injury Flower drop Cracking tomato skin Novelty tomatoes Staking tomatoes Growing tomatoes in containers Controlling tomato disease Blossom end rot Controlling stinkbugs on tomatoes Contact the hosts: Chris Enrot...

In today's episode of the Good Growing Podcast Michelle Berg Vogel joins Ken, Katie, and Chris to talk about growing your very own mushrooms at home. Plus tips for hunting the elusive morel mushroom. All this plus your home gardening questions answered. On this episode we answer the following homeowner questions: 1. What to do about spider mite damage on Dwarf Alberta spruce 2. Can I still get see...

Join the Good Growing crew as they answer your insect questions. Ken, Katie, and Chris welcome special guest Kelly Allsup, horticulture educator with the University of Illinois Extension. Kelly's passion is insects and shares her knowledge with the podcast to answer your insect questions. Following are the questions we discuss in this episode: 1. Brussels sprouts never get very big, what can they...

On this spring episode of the Good Growing podcast we answer questions we received from Illinois home gardeners. Ken Johnson, horticulture educator, and Katie Parker, local foods & small farms educator, join Chris to answer the following questions: 1. Dealing with squash bugs 2. What to do about landscape fabric and rock mulch 3. Can you garden where a house burned down? 4. Protecting apple tr...

Most people know few insects by name. One of the more popular, at least this time of year, is the woolly bear or woolly worm caterpillar. This caterpillar is the larval form of the Isabella Tiger Moth (Pyrrharctia Isabella). A white to orange to yellow moth that frequents lights at night in the midsummer. But is the woolly bear caterpillar able to predict how cold this winter will be? Or is this h...

Will compost tea save the world? Not according to current science. Science and the compost tea industry disagree on the effects of compost tea. Listen in as horticulture educator Chris Enroth saves you time, money, and electricity by keeping compost in the landscape. Leave the tea in the kitchen.

On this episode of the Good Growing Podcast, Extension educator Duane Friends pops by to chat about cover crops. Duane explains the importance of using cover crops, how they are a great tool for soil management, choosing cover crops, and more! Got questions? Contact Duane friend@illinois.edu Contact Chris cenroth@illinois.edu Check out Chris' blog post on cover crops https://web.extension.illinois...

On this episode of the Good Growing podcast, Chris shares his recent experience with a mouse in his house. He gives tips and tricks for dealing with these unwanted guests in the middle of winter. Check out Illinois Extension's website Living with Wildlife https://extension.illinois.edu/wildlife/

In part two of this two-part episode, Chris chats with University of Illinois Extension horticulture educators Andrew Holsinger and Ryan Pankau about storm damaged trees. Ryan shares his experiences as an arborist cleaning up after storms, how to make your trees more resilient to storms, and his recommended trees to plant that can resist wind damage. Plus, Ryan answers several of Chris and Andrew'...

In part one of this two-part episode, Chris chats with University of Illinois Extension horticulture educators Andrew Holsinger and Ryan Pankau about storm damaged trees. Andrew tells about how nearby Taylorville, Illinois recently experienced a tornado. And Ryan gives us tips on what to look out for when we first emerge from our shelters and basements. Then Ryan gives tips on what to consider whe...

On this episode of the newly branded Good Growing podcast, Chris talks with Andrew Holsinger about pruning fruit trees like apples and peaches. Andrew tells us when and how to prune, plus answers to your pruning questions. Check out Andrew's webinar on growing your own backyard tree fruit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yozx6OaTPxE

Chris chats with horticulture educator Kelly Allsup about beneficial insects. They talk about Kelly's start in horticulture and how that led her to insects. The two then dive into how to attract beneficial insects, what plants work best, and what is Kelly's favorite beneficial insect. Plus your insect questions.

I sit down and chat with Extension Energy & Environmental Stewardship Educator Duane Friend on interpreting soil test results and what are the important takeaways when reading a soil test. Also, we talk about how Duane got involved working in the field of natural resources and some research he's doing on cover crops. Link to soil test result we refer to during the podcast https://web.extension...

Join Chris as he welcomes University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator Richard Hentschel to the podcast. Together they discuss Richard's background in the green industry and important fall lawn care topics. Plus your lawn care questions!

Extension Horticulture Educator, Ken Johnson, sits down with Chris to talk everyones favorite bug to hate, the Japanese beetle.